The Osun State Deputy Governor, Mr Benedict Olugboyega Alabi has been widely criticised for committing ‘blunder’ while delivering a speech at the Osun State University, Osogbo, on Thursday.
Alabi, who stood in for Governor Gboyega Oyetola at the maiden edition of Tunde Ponle Annual lecture, organised by the university, in collaboration with Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute, addressed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila as “The Speaker of the National Assembly.”
Also, the Osun Deputy Governor, in his remarks, referred to the Senate as “Green Chamber ” while welcoming the Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial district, Dr Bashir Ajibola.
Meanwhile, a socio-political group, Advocacy for Good Governance and Liberty has berated the number two citizen in the state over the error, saying such show of deficiency was a great embarrassment to the state.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the State Coordinator of the group, Comrade Adams Kolawole, made available to NAN early Friday.
He averred that the level of intelligence and mental capacity displayed by the Deputy Governor was a total departure from that of his predecessor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Ponle, an educationist.
Kolawole implored Alabi to update himself with necessary information for better public presentation, adding that “the state cannot afford to have leaders with odious deficiencies”.
He further said that the public appearance and presentation of every leader remained the mirror in which his political domain would be adjudged and rated.
“The recent blunder and intellectual error displayed by the Osun Deputy Governor was not only embarrassing, it was an height of unpardonable deficiency.
“How could a political figure of that stature referred to the Speaker of House of Representatives as the Speaker of the National Assembly, and called the Senate Green Chamber. Such error speaks volume of paucity of requisite mental strength and intellectual capacity among political class in Nigeria.
“It is indeed very unbecoming for Mr Alabi and highly unfortunate for the State at large”, he said.
NAN reports that Alabi, who came to the saddle as Deputy Governor in 2018, following the victory of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the second ballot of gubernatorial election of September 27, 2018, was over two decades in the private sector as a banker.
He is a Fellow of Chattered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a Certified Sustainability and Facility Manager.
NAN